A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 

A

Acrylic Glazing:
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is a synthetic plastic material that comes in a wide range of colours and translucency or transparency. It is approximately 10 to 20 times stronger than glass. PMMA has a wide range of application in architecture as a colourful siding/glazing material. For detailed technical specifications, please see our "Specialty Glazing" page.

Annealed glass is easily broken by mechanical stress, impact, and moderate thermal stress. Breakage of annealed glass is usually a simple one or two line fracture unless the glass has been smashed by a severe impact.

Argon Gas:
Argon is an inert, colourless and odourless gas used in welding aluminium. It is also used in the window glazing industry for its low conductivity.

B

Bay Window:
An arrangement of three or more individual window units, attached so as to project from the building at various angles. In a three-unit bay, the center section is normally fixed, with the end panels operable as single-hung or casement windows.

Bow Window:
A rounded bay window that projects from the wall in an arc shape, commonly consisting of five sashes attached at 10-degree angles creating a semi-circular look.

C

Casement Window:
A window sash that swings open on side hinges: in-swinging are French in origin; out-swinging are from England. Double casement windows typically do not have a center post so that when the window is open, there is no obstruction to your view.

Condensation:
The deposit of water vapor from the air on any cold surface whose temperature is below the dew point, such as a cold window glass or frame that is exposed to humid indoor air.

Coping:
Coping is the top surface edging which surrounds the entire perimeter of a swimming pool. It is the finished top edge of the pool that ties the swimming pool into the decking. It is most commonly about 12 inches wide and may sometimes hang over the water.

D

Dormer:
An opening in a sloping roof, the framing of which projects out to form a vertical wall suitable for windows or other openings.

Double glazing:
In general, two thicknesses of glass separated by an air space within an opening to improve insulation against heat transfer and/or sound transmission. In factory-made double glazing units, the air between the glass sheets is thoroughly dried and the space is sealed airtight, eliminating possible condensation and providing superior insulating properties.

Double Hung Window:
A window with two vertically sliding sashes, both of which can move up and down.

Drain Tile:
A perforated, corrugated plastic pipe laid at the bottom of the foundation wall and used to drain excess water away from the foundation. It prevents ground water from seeping through the foundation wall. Sometimes called perimeter drain.

Drip Cap:
A molding or metal flashing placed on the exterior topside of a door or window frame to cause water to drip beyond the outside of the frame.

E

eGlass:
eGlass is the glazing industry's latest, most advanced technology in energy efficiency. Low-E (low emittance) is a special microscopically thin coating applied to glass. It is a virtually invisible thin coating of metal oxide that creates a barrier against heat. Keeps the heat out in summer and keeps the heat in during winter.
In practical terms:
Cool in summer - warm in winter

Extrusion:
The process of producing vinyl or aluminum shapes by forcing heated material through an orifice in a die.

F

Finials:
Finials, in conservatories, refer to an ornate ridge decoration. Traditional roof finials were typically made of wood. Due to their somewhat fragile nature and delicate appearance, wood finials require serious attention. With the advent of modern, composite materials, PVC roof ridge finials offer a very attractive and durable alternative.
In practical terms:
Roof ridge decoration

Flashing:
Pieces of metal or roll roofing used to prevent seepage of water into a building around any intersection or projection in a roof such as vent pipes, chimneys, adjoining walls, dormers, and valleys. Galvanized metal flashing should be minimum 28-gauge.

Float Glass:
Float Glass, sometimes called Plate Glass, gets its name from the method of production used to manufacture it. The molten glass is 'floated' onto a bed of molten metal. It produces a high-optical-quality glass with parallel surfaces, without polishing and grinding.
Float glass can be cut using a glass cutter and no special equipment is necessary. Float glass is suitable for fixed and opening windows above waist height.

G

Girder:
A large or principal beam of wood or steel used to support concentrated loads at isolated points along its length.

Glulam (Glued Laminated Beam):
A structural beam composed of wood laminations or lams. The lams are pressure bonded with adhesives to attain the required dimensions to meet specific structural loads.

Gutter:
A shallow channel or conduit of metal or wood set below and along the (fascia) eaves of a house to catch and carry off rainwater from the roof to the ground by means of a downspout, a tubular (round or rectangular) pipe as shown in the picture on the right. Hidden gutters are built into the fascia board along the edge of the roof and are not visible from ground level. They too, usually drain from the roof through downspouts.

H

Heating Degree Day:
Term used by heating and cooling engineers to relate the typical climate conditions of different areas to the amount of energy needed to heat and cool a building. The base temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. A heating degree day is counted for each degree below 65 degrees reached by the average daily outside temperatures in the winter. For example, if on a given winter day, the daily average temperature outdoors is 30 degrees, then there are 35 degrees below the base temperature of 65 degrees. Thus, there are 35 heating degree days for that day.

I

ICC:
International Code Council. A national organization that publishes model codes for adoption by states and other agencies. Codes include the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

IECC:
International Energy Conservation Code published by the ICC. The successor to the Model Energy Code, which is cited in the 1992 U.S. Energy Policy Act (EPAct) as the baseline for residential Energy Codes in the United States.

Infrared Radiation (IR):
Invisible, electromagnetic radiation beyond red light on the spectrum, with wavelengths greater than 0.7 microns.

Insulating Glass:
Two or more pieces of glass spaced apart and hermetically sealed to form a single glazed unit with one or more air spaces in between. Also called double glazing.

J

Jalousie:
Window made up of horizontally-mounted louvered glass slats that abut each other tightly when closed and rotate outward when cranked open.

Jamb:
A vertical member at the side of a window frame, or the horizontal member at the top of the window frame, as in head jamb.

K

L

Laminated glass:
Two or more sheets of glass with an inner layer of transparent plastic to which the glass adheres if broken. Used for safety glazing and sound reduction.

Landing:
A platform between flights of stairs or at the termination of a flight of stairs. Often used when stairs change direction.

Lintel:
A horizontal structural member that supports the load over an opening such as a door or window.

Load Bearing Wall:
Includes all exterior walls and any interior wall that is aligned above a support beam or girder. Normally, any wall that has a double horizontal top plate.

Louver:
A vented opening into the home that has a series of horizontal slats and arranged to permit ventilation but to exclude rain, snow, light, insects, or other living creatures.

Lumens:
Unit of measure for total light output. The amount of light falling on a surface of one square foot.

M

Mullion:
A major structural vertical or horizontal member between window units or sliding glass doors.

N

Nanometer:
A nanometer is a metric unit measurement of length/thickness equal to one billionth of a meter.

O

Open Valley:
Method of valley construction in which shingles on both sides of the valley are trimmed along a chalk line snapped on each side of the valley. Shingles do not extend across the valley. Valley flashing is exposed.

P

Pitch:
The incline angle of a roof surface, given as a ratio of the rise (in inches) to the run (in feet).

Q

R

Rafter:
The supporting framing member immediately beneath the deck, sloping from the ridge to the wall plate.

S

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder):
SAD is a condition that affects certain people more than others and is due primarily to a lack of exposure to daylight. It is usually a winter condition when daylight is at it's shortest. It manifests itself as a form of depression. Getting up when it is still dark outside, perhaps even until they get to work. Then it is still dark when they go back home at the end of their workday. They may work in an environment where they do not even have a window. Combine this with grey, overcast days and you have the recipe for SAD. People who are severely affected by SAD may benefit from bright, artificial daylight generated by special lights that emit the full spectrum of sunlight.

Self-Cleaning Glass:
Self-cleaning Glass is fabricated using float glass with a special thin (50 nanometers +/-) photocatalytic coating on one side. This coating uses the ultraviolet rays from the sun to steadily break down any organic dirt on the surface using the photocatalytic effect and thus loosen the dirt from the glass.

Self–cleaning glass also has hydrophilic properties which means that when rain runs down the pane of glass, it will wash away the dirt previously loosened. Together, the photocatalytic and hydrophilic effects allow the glass to stay cleaner for a longer period than untreated glass.

Small particles of dirt will loosen and (providing there is rain) be washed off fairly quickly, however, bird droppings and other large bits of dirt, will take longer to be cleaned off.

Self cleaning glass may, from time to time, need additional cleaning and great care needs to be taken with such cleaning to avoid damaging the surface coating - never use any abrasive cleaner. If additional cleaning is carried out, residue may affect the self-cleaning properties and take a period of time to become active again.

Sheet Glass:
This glass is made by passing the molten glass through rollers; this process gives an almost flat finish but the effects of the rollers upon the molten glass makes some distortion inevitable. The glass can be used in domestic windows etc. but the relatively low cost of float glass (with its lack of distortion) has tended to restrict ordinary sheet glass to glazing greenhouses and garden sheds where the visual distortions do not matter. The glass is clear but has thickness variations due to small temperature changes just out of the vat as it hardens. These variations cause lines of slight distortions. You may still see this glass in older houses.

Sheet glass can be cut with a glass cutter and no special equipment is necessary. The glass is often available in standard sizes to suit 'standard' glasshouses, these sizes tend to be comparatively cheaper than glass cut to size.

Soffit:
The area below the eaves and overhangs. The underside where the roof overhangs the walls. Usually the underside of an overhanging cornice.

Sonotube:
Round, large cardboard or plastic tubes designed to hold wet concrete in place until it hardens typically used for pier-type foundation and deck supports. It is available in 6" to 60" diameter tube. In the larger sizes, it is used to build pillars that rival the magnitude of the Parthenon.

Step Flashing:
Flashing application method used where a vertical surface meets a sloping roof plane. 6″ X 6″ galvanized metal bent at a 90 degree angle, and installed beneath siding and over the top of shingles. Each piece overlaps the one beneath it the entire length of the sloping roof (step by step).

T

Tempered Glass:
Treated glass that is strengthened by reheating it to just below the melting point and then suddenly cooling it. When shattered, it breaks into small pieces. Approximately five times stronger than standard annealed glass; is required as safety glazing in patio doors, entrance doors, side lights, and other hazardous locations. It cannot be recut after tempering.

Thermally-broken:
Also known as a "thermal barrier", the terms refer to a material of low thermal conductivity that is inserted between materials of high conductivity in order to reduce cold or heat heat transfer.
In practical terms:
Warm in winter - cool in summer

U

Underlayment:
Asphalt saturated felt used beneath roofing to provide additional protection for the deck.

V

Vapour barrier:
A building product installed on exterior walls and ceilings under the drywall and on the warm side of the insulation. It is used to retard the movement of water vapor into walls and prevent condensation within them. Polyethylene plastic sheeting is often used but Tyvek is a popular non-woven, "breathable" synthetic vapour barrier produced by DuPont. Its intended purpose is to prevent moisture from being trapped and sealed inside the walls thereby significantly reducing the possibility of mould and mildew from developing in the insulation.

W

Weatherization:
Work on a building exterior in order to reduce energy consumption for heating or cooling.  Work involving adding insulation, installing storm windows and doors, caulking cracks and putting on weather-stripping.

Weatherstrip:
Narrow sections of thin metal or other material installed to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture around windows and doors.

Weep Hole:
A small opening in a wall or window sill member through which water may drain to the building exterior.

Window Buck:
Square or rectangular box that is installed within a concrete foundation or block wall. A window will eventually be installed in this “buck” during the siding stage of construction.

X

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Z